Aspiration biopsy device

Abstract

An aspiration biopsy device in the form of a modified syringe having a pair of valves therein and a holding structure to hold the piston of the syringe in a desired vacuum creating location. In a first embodiment there is a stop cock type open-shut valve between the needle and the syringe body, a hole in the side of the syringe barrel intermediate the ends thereof and a spring, which when the stop cock is closed, biases the piston to a vacuum creating position with the piston head located between the hole and the needle. In a second embodiment, instead of the hole in the side of the barrel being intermediate the ends thereof, the hole is located near the needle mounting end of the barrel and an open-shut valve controls the opening and closing of such hole. In a third embodiment of this invention, instead of the spring of the first two embodiments, a physical stop arrangement is carried by the piston and the barrel to hold the piston in its vacuum creating position.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An aspiration biopsy device of modified syringe construction, which syringe has a barrel, an air tight telescopically mounted piston therein, a needle mounted at the end of the barrel opposite its needle-mounting end, wherein the improvement comprises a holding means for holding said piston in a vacuum creating position intermediate the ends of the barrel, first open shut valve means for selectively opening and closing said barrel from a needle mounted on said device, and a second open shut valve means for selectively venting any vacuum which might exist between the inner end of said piston and said first valve means, and said holding means comprising an operator-controlled selectively engageable and disengageable physical stop means acting between said piston and said barrel. 
     
     
       2. An aspiration biopsy device of modified syringe construction, which syringe has a barrel, an air tight telescopically mounted piston therein, a needle mounted at the end of the barrel opposite its piston-receiving end, and which piston is operative to discharge or draw gaseous or liquid fluids out of or into said barrel, wherein the improvement comprises: holding means in the form of a compression spring reacting between said barrel and said piston for holding said piston in a vacuum creating position intermediate the ends of the barrel, first operator-controlled open shut valve means for selectively opening and closing said barrel from a needle mounted on said device, and a second open shut valve means for selectively venting any vacuum which might exist between the inner end of said piston and said first valve means.   
     
     
       3. A device according to claim 1, wherein said compression spring comprises a coil compression spring received around the axially outer end of said piston. 
     
     
       4. A device according to claim 2 wherein said barrel has a cylindrical portion extending axially from the end thereof opposite the piston receiving end, which cylindrical portion conventionally mounts a needle thereon, said first open shut valve is mounted on said cylindrical portion, and said first open shut valve includes means thereon for mounting a needle. 
     
     
       5. A device according to claim 2 wherein said second valve means comprises an opening in said barrel wall, and the head of said piston in its vacuum created intermediate position separates said opening from said first valve means. 
     
     
       6. A device according to claim 5 wherein said holding means can be overridden and said piston means is movable axially outwardly to allow said opening to be confluent with said first valve means. 
     
     
       7. A device according to claim 2 wherein said second valve means comprises an opening in the barrel wall disposed between the head of said piston separating said head from said first valve means when said piston is in its vacuum creating position, said second valve means also includes an open shut valve means for selectively opening and closing said opening. 
     
     
       8. An aspiration biopsy device comprising a cylindrical barrel having an inner and outer end, a needle mounted on said inner end, a piston sealingly and telescopically received in the barrel from the outer end thereof with said piston projecting out of said barrel when in its fully inward position, holding means for holding said piston in a vacuum creating position with the head thereof intermediate the ends of said barrel, an opening formed in the inner end of said barrel, first operator-controlled open shut valve means including means mounting the same on said barrel whereby said first valve means is selectively operable to open and shut the opening in the inner end in said barrel, and second valve means for selectively venting any vacuum which might exist between the inner end of said piston and said first valve means. 
     
     
       9. A device according to claim 8 wherein said holding means comprises a compression spring means reacting between said barrel and said piston for biasing said piston outwardly of said barrel. 
     
     
       10. A device according to claim 8 wherein said holding means comprises a selectively engageable and disengageable physical stop means acting between said piston and said barrel. 
     
     
       11. A device according to claim 8 wherein said barrel has a cylindrical portion extending axially from the end thereof opposite the piston receiving end, said first valve means is an open shut valve and is mounted on said cylindrical portion, and said first open shut valve includes means thereon mounting said needle. 
     
     
       12. A device according to claim 8 wherein said second valve means comprises an opening in the barrel wall disposed between the head of said piston from said first valve means when said piston is in its vacuum creating position, said second valve means also includes an open shut valve means for selectively opening and closing said opening. 
     
     
       13. A device according to claim 8 wherein said second valve means comprises an opening in said barrel wall and the head of said piston in its vacuum creating intermediate position separates said opening from said first valve means. 
     
     
       14. A device according to claim 13 wherein said holding means can be overridden and said piston means is movable axially outwardly to allow said opening to become confluent with said first valve means.